{"title":"Vulnerability analysis of transformer-based optical character recognition to adversarial attacks.","authors":"Lucas Beerens, Desmond J Higham","doi":"10.1098/rsta.2025.0127","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We present a novel framework to assess the resilience of state-of-the-art transformer-based optical character recognition (TrOCR) models. In this way, we develop new untargeted and targeted attack algorithms. On a benchmark handwriting dataset, we show that adversarial perturbations to the input reveal dramatic vulnerabilities without being noticeable to the eye. This article is part of the theme issue 'Safe, secure and robust AI for safety-critical systems'.</p>","PeriodicalId":19879,"journal":{"name":"Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences","volume":"384 2324","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7000,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences","FirstCategoryId":"103","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2025.0127","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
We present a novel framework to assess the resilience of state-of-the-art transformer-based optical character recognition (TrOCR) models. In this way, we develop new untargeted and targeted attack algorithms. On a benchmark handwriting dataset, we show that adversarial perturbations to the input reveal dramatic vulnerabilities without being noticeable to the eye. This article is part of the theme issue 'Safe, secure and robust AI for safety-critical systems'.
期刊介绍:
Continuing its long history of influential scientific publishing, Philosophical Transactions A publishes high-quality theme issues on topics of current importance and general interest within the physical, mathematical and engineering sciences, guest-edited by leading authorities and comprising new research, reviews and opinions from prominent researchers.